Apparatus for the conversion of peat into coal.



'0. A. FORD 811. 0. LONG.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONVERSION OF PEAT IN TO COAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.21, I914.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

@Zpha .HFOMZ, emi Lanny OLPHA A. FORD AND JEREMIAH C. LONG, F EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO UNITED STATES FUEL COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

OF MAINE.

A CORPORATION APPARATUS FOR THE CONVERSION OF PEAT INTO COAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OLPHA A. FORD, of Everett, county of Middlesex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and JEREMIAH 0. LONG, of Everett, in the county of Middlesex and said Commonwealth, both citizens of the United States, have invented certain new .shall be and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Conversion of Peat into Goal, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has for its purposethe devising of improvements. in the apparatus for preparing peat'for use as fuel, and for the utilization and salvage of the by-products therefrom.

In preparing peat for fuel, there are two mainsteps in the process, the first comprising the extraction of the moisture contained therein, and the second the formation of the same into briquets. In order to dry the peat with sufficientrapidity to render the utilization of apparatus economical, it is necessary to employ a current of air or the like for passing over and through the peat, which heated to quite a high temperature. In the employment of atmospheric air for this purpose there is considerable danger of either actual or partial combustion, owing to the large proportion of oxygen in the air. To obviate such danger, and to obtain certain other beneficial results hereinafter set forth, we have devised means for supplying to the moistpeat a hot gas incapable of feeding combustion. The process therefor, and the apparatus devised by us for carrying the same into effect, aswell as for accomplishing. the hereinafter described improvements in process and apparatus, are as follows,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in ,,which Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of apparatus employed in carrying out our invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line XX in Fig. 1.

The peat to be dried is rotary drum 1 from the hopper 2, the delivery from the latter being aided by the stirrer 3 and feed belt 4. Said drum is r0- tated-by any suitable means, as the motor 5 geared to the annular rack 6, and is supported by antifriction rolls 7, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This drum is surrounded by a sleeve 9 rlgid therewith and of a sufficiently Specification of Letters Patent.

fed to the inclinedlarger diameter to leave an annular space "between.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916. Application filed January 21, 1914. Serial No. 813,421. 7

through the drum and the pipe 13 to a stack 14. The gases from the furnace are kept from being objeotionably hot, and at the same time such excess of heat is converted into useful work, by boiler tubes 14: located in the boiler 15, the gases passing through said tubes in the usual manner, and the steam generated thereby being conveyed to the pumps employed in other parts of the process.

The proper temperature of gases delivered to the drum having been maintained, the dried lumps of peat will emerge from the lower end of said drum to the upper part of the goose-neck 12 and descend through a chute 16 to the grinder 17. To keep the temperature within the drum of the proper temperature, we locate a thermostat 20 within it, and provide a trap door 21 controlled thereby opening from the goose neck into the annular space 28. The upper end of said space, or out out conduit, connects with the pipe 13, so that the gases admitted to said conduit escape therefrom to the stack, and consequently relieve the peat within the drum of a sufficient amount of heat to keep it at the right temperature. Simultaneously with such movement of the trap door, a damper 22 is arranged to close more or'less the exit from the goose-neck to the drum in order to compel the diversion of the gases referred to.

The form of thermostat selected for illus-. tration, and one which best seems fitted to its location, consists of a tube of steel or other less-expansible metal 20, rigidly held at 24, and carrying within it a rod 23 composed of some metal having a much greater coefficient of expansion; the upper ends of said tube and rod being fastened together,

closure. .Hence, if the -diversion of the heat and the lower end of said rod engages the shortlever-arm of the damper, whereby the .longitudinal expansion of said rod' causes the damper to, close, and the latter, through ture, the furnace or heater 11- is given a di- .rectly connected stack 27 having a damper 29 controlled through a chain .30 to openas the damper 22 approaches its point of through the sleeve '9 isiinsufiicient at any moment to reducethejtemperature within the drum, the damper 29 is opened and the products of combustion-permitted to escape direct to the atmospher 1 'The grinder 17 into whichthe dried lumps ,and. fragments .of peat descend is repre- ,peat passing therefromto a receptacle 31,

' and thence to the briquet' machine.

sented as of the well known mill stone'type, as well fitted'for the purpose; the pulverized The latter comprises a plurality of plungers 32 each forcing the pulverized material into its individual die or tube 33, the stroke'of the plungers' being quitev short, and said tubes j being very lon in comparison, so that the friction of the riqu'ets therein will-provide.

ample back pressurefor=the compression of the peat engaged by thelplungers. f v

Ab'outthe'tubes or. dies 33 are preferably three containers 37; the container 37*" being A first 'fill'ejd with "steam or hot water to raise turefor perfect cohesion under pressure,

water for maintaining a temperature neither too hot nor tooflcold for. the purpose. *The second container 37" is filled with. colder .water, and the third container"37..i sfilled: with very cold water, preferably a strong solution .ofbrine,- in order that when "the briquets are finally delivered to the bin 4Q" 4. they shall becold and hard.

While .the peat isgbeing heated and drie i'n zthe gdrum-,*.variou s volatile oils and other as are-"commercially useful, .we providethe 13 descends-a'branch pipe 11 provided with a damper 42,- and containing a suction fan '43 suitably 'rotated; the lower end of said branch opening into ,a condenser 44 the circulation water for which is provided by a pump 45, and escapes through the discharge 46.. The condensate descends to the hot well 47, from which it is taken by the wet vacuum pump 49- and dischargedinto the container 50. llrom the container the condensate can be removed when desired and separated by distillation into the several by-products' composing it. Whatever gases there are which refuse to condense, are withdrawn from the condenser by pump 51 and forced to the atmosphere through the stack, or they may be delivered to the gasometer 52 for preservation, if found suifi'ciently valuable.

' When thususing the condenser, the damper tance of the. atmosphere ispossible through Iit, but the same forms a water-seal. Consequently, the damper 53 being tightly closed.

and the suction fan 43Joeing in rapid operation, therewill be a partial vacuum in the drum 1, since said fan can take care of more the escape ofth e moisture and volatile gases from the peat, and permits of the successful drying thereof at a lower temperature than would. otherwise be necessary, thereby reducing the" danger "of injury to the fuelquality of the peat.

What we claim is: I 1 The herein described apparatus for converting peat into coal, which comprises an elongated drum'having means for propelling peat from one endto the other thereof, means for delivering hot gas into the gas than that coming from the furnace and [from the peat being treated in the drum. This partial vacuum aids considerably inend of the drum toward which the peat is propelled, means for delivering peat into the other end of said drum, means for maintaining a reduced atmospheric pressure within the drum,-and means for receiving the .dried peatfrom said drum without admitting air thereto, said peat-delivery means being constructed for continuous feeding Without admitting air therewith.

.2. The herein described apparatus for converting peatinto coal, which comprises {an elongated .drumhaving means for projpelling l-peat' 'from one-"end to' the. other hydrocarbons pass off therefrom to the stack ,gtn'd'arelosh Further, the productsofcoln- 'bus'tion. from the furnace also contain certain elements which similarly pass' oif""and are lost.- -Tosa've such ofthese by-products I! 55 following apparatus; .From the pipe-section thereof, means-for delivering hot gas into the-end f the toward which the is propel ed, means for delivering peatmto the other end 'ofsaiddruin, means for .producing a suction acting at-the peat-receiving end of the drum, and means for receiving and grinding the dried peat and deliv- 'ering 1t to a sultablere'ceiver, without the admlssi'on thereto of atmospheric air. *3. The herein described apparatus for converting peat into coal, which comprises an. elongated drum having means for propelling peat from pne end to the other, means for delivering hot gas tothe end of the drum toward which the peat is propelled, a sleeve surrounding said drum and forming peat an annular space about the same,- and controlled means for diverting to said annular space a portion of the hot gas being delivered to said drum. 4

4. The herein described apparatus for converting peat into coal, which comprises an elongated drum having means for propelling peat from one end to the other, means for delivering hot gas to the end of the drum toward which the peat is propelled, a sleeve surrounding said drum and forming an annular space about the same, adjustable means for diverting to said annular space a portion of the hot gas being delivered to said drum, and a thermostat controlling said adjustable means.

5. The herein described apparatus for converting peat into coal, which comprises an elongated drum having means for propelling peat from one end to the other, a spaced sleeve surrounding said drum, means for rotating said drum and sleeve, stationary conduits for delivering hot gas to said drum and sleeve, a damper between said conduits, a damper controlling the conduit to said drum, and means for simultaneously closing one damper and opening the other.

6. The herein described apparatus for convertlng peat into coal, which comprises an elongated drum having means for propelling peat from one end to the other, a spaced sleeve surrounding said drum, means for rotating said drum and sleeve, stationary conduits for delivering hot gas to said drum and sleeve, a damper controlling each conduit, and a thermostat for simultaneously opening and closing said dampers.

7. The herein described apparatus for converting peat into coal, whlch comprises a rotatable drum having means for propelling peat from one end to Ithe other thereof, means for delivering hot gas into the end of said drum toward which the peat is propelled, and for receiving it from the other end, and means for feeding peat into the last-referred to end, said feeding means comprising a stationary hopper, a feeding wheel in the latter, and an endless conveyer disposed below said wheel and having one end within the drum.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing invention, we have hereunto set our hands this 19th day of January, 1914.

OLPHA A. FORD. JEREMIAH 0. LONG. Witnesses:

A. B. UPHAM, JOSEPH W. Downs. 

